Tell Energy Secretary Moniz: Don't encourage expanded fracking.

Sign the petition

The petition to Energy Secretary Moniz reads:

Fracked natural gas exports are a major threat to public health and the climate because they would encourage dramatically expanded fracking in the United States. Reject all pending and future permits to export natural gas.

As the new energy secretary, Ernest Moniz is responsible for deciding whether to grant permits allowing the fracking industry to export huge quantities of natural gas overseas.

If he green-lights fracked gas exports, Moniz will encourage more fracking in the United States, endangering our precious water, putting the health of countless Americans at risk and accelerating climate change.

Shortly after being sworn in, Moniz promised to take more time to study the issue before granting any more permits to export gas.1 That's a genuinely encouraging step and the right thing to do. But Moniz has voiced support for fracking and gas exports in the past, so we need to make it clear that a delay is not enough.2Only promising to reject all permits to export gas will protect our water and climate from the threat of dramatically expanded fracking.

Tell Energy Secretary Moniz: Don't encourage expanded fracking.

It's clear that the Obama administration wants to green-light fracked gas exports. Earlier this year, at a forum with Central American leaders, President Obama predicted that the United States would export more gas than it imports by 2020, an unambiguous signal that he hopes to approve the slate of permits to export gas that are currently under review by the Department of Energy.3

And just before Moniz was sworn in, the Energy Department approved its first natural gas export permit in two years--another deeply disturbing sign that the Obama administration will be putting pressure on Moniz to give the industry permission to export more gas.4 5But, as energy secretary, Moniz has a lot of leverage in the administration to push back against pressure from the White House to approve fracked gas exports. We need to make it clear that we're watching, and expect him to stand up to pressure from the fracking industry and the White House

Tell Energy Secretary Moniz: Don't encourage expanded fracking.

If the Department of Energy grants the industry permission to export massive amounts of gas overseas, it will be a boon for the frackers--and a disaster for everybody else. Fracking is a highly toxic process that contaminates water and releases poisonous air pollution, putting nearby communities at risk. Furthermore, as recent climate disasters like Superstorm Sandy demonstrate, it's dangerous to consider any policy that would dramatically expand fossil fuel extraction in the United States.

Moniz has expressed support for fracked gas in the past, but, now that he's a highly visible public official, he's likely more susceptible to pressure from activists. We need to make it clear that Americans across the country are watching him closely, and expect him to put our health and safety ahead of the financial interests of the fracking industry.